The Paramaccan or Paamaka (French: Pamak) are a Maroon tribe living in the forested interior of Suriname, mainly in the Paramacca resort, and the western border area of French Guiana. but the main village of the resort is Langatabiki which is also the residence of the (paramount chief) of the Paramaccan people. The tribe controls 13 villages in Suriname, and the village of Providence in neighbouring French Guiana.
The total population in 2014 was estimated at 11,000 people with 4,300 people living in the tribal areas in Suriname, and 1,000 living in the interior of French Guiana. During the Surinamese Interior War, the Paramaccans sided with the Jungle Commando, which resulted in a large migration to French Guiana. Paramaccan is the youngest of the Surinamese pidgin languages. The language had an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 speakers in 1991.
Villages
- Langatabiki (Suriname)
- Lokaloka (Suriname)
- Nason (Suriname)
- Providence (French Guiana)
- Snesiekondre (Suriname)
See also
- Ndyuka language
Brother Mambo: Finding Africa in the Amazon, JD Lenoir with Phil Ceder (Kutukutu), Black Rose Writer, 2022.